Brake for vehicles



No. 431,420. Patented July 1, 1890.-

Izveni M A II/MI I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD TRIOKETT, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

BRAKE FOR VEHICLES.

V SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,420, dated July '1, 1890.

Application filed March 22, 1890. Serial No. 344,941. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD TRICKETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brakes for Vehicles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in friction-brakes especially adapted for use on fire apparatus, although it can be used with equal advantage on vehicles of any class; and the object of my present invention is to provide an improved brake which is simple and'cheap in construction and efficient and reliable in operation.

The present invention is designed more particularly as an improvementon the brake shown and described in a prior application filed by me on the 23d day of January, 1890, Serial No. 337,834, in which brake I use a suspending-bar which carries a friction-shoe, and the present invention consists in the combination of a friction-shoe, a spring 0011- nected to the shoe to elevate the same when the brake-lever is released, and a cable or flexible connection between the other end of the friction-shoe and the brake-lever.

My invention further consists in the combination of devices and peculiar construction and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

To enable others to understand my improvements, 1- will now proceed to a detailed description thereof, in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure I is a side elevation of my improved brake, showing the friction-shoe raised or elevated. Fig. II is a similar view showing the friction-shoe depressed and in contact with the ground.

Like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawin gs, referring to which-- 1 designates the rigid depending hanger of my improved brake, which hanger comprises a straight rigid bar, a clip 2, by means of which the hanger is rigidly fixed to the axle of a vehicle or fire apparatus, and a laterallyextending foot 3, which is rigid with the lower end of the straight depending bar or hanger 1, and is provided with a slot 8', in which is fitted the adjustable suspending-bart of the brake. This adjustable suspending-bar 4 is made vertically movable, in order to raise or depress the friction-shoe 5. The suspendingbar Works freely in the slot of the hanger-foot, and it is sustained against lateral strain by said hanger-foot. The upper end of this suspending-bar is pivoted to one end of a horizontal lever 6, which is pivoted at an intermediate point of its length to the clip 2 by a bolt 7, and the opposite end of this horizontal lever is connected to an adjustable brace or arm 8, which brace or arm is arranged in a vertically-inclined position.

10 designates the brake-lever, which is arranged in an upright or vertical position, and the lower end of this brake-lever is pivoted to the horizontal lever 6 at a point between the fulcrum 7 of said horizontal lever and the pivot of the inclined brace or arm 8. This inclined brace or arm is provided at its upper end with a series of apertures, and through one of these apertures passes abolt 0, which connects the brace or arm to the brake-lever at a point intermediate of the length of said brake-lever, whereby the inclined brace or arm is adj ustably connected to the brakelever, in order to vary the movement of the horizontal lever and the lift and depression of the suspending-bar and its attached friction-shoe. I

The friction-shoe, in the present instance, is made of a long flat piece of steel, and it is fitted in a bifurcated lower end of the suspending'bar 4, said friction-shoe being pivoted in said bar at an intermediate point of its length by a through or pivot bolt 11. To

tached of secured to an upright rigid arm or bracket 15, while'the lower end of the said spring is attached or connected to the friction-shoe at a point in advance of its pivot ll and between said pivot and the point where the rear lower end of the drag-chain is connected to said shoe, as shown. The office or function of this coiled spring is to lift or elevate the friction-shoe when the brake-lever is released, to thus cause said shoe to clear the ground and to return the parts of the brake to their normal positions. To the opposite or rear end of the friction-shoe I connect one end of a sliding cable or like flexible connection 16, and this cable runs over a guide sheave or pulley 17, which is carried in the lower end of a rigid arm 18, which arm is fixed to the apparatus or vehicle in rear of the brake. The other end of the cable is connected to the brake-lever 10 by the same bolt 9 that connects the inclined arm or brace 8 to said brake-lever. The cable serves in connection with the levers to pull down on and depress the friction-shoe when the upper end of the brake-lever is thrown forward in the direction indicated by the arrow ,in Fig. II, whereby the friction-shoe is given a positive and efifective downward movement. The connection of the cable with the frictionshoe is effected by a loop or eye 19, which is pivoted by a transverse bolt to the shoe, and the upper end of the cable is connected to the brake-lever by a strap or eye 19, through which passes the bolt 9 that connects the inclined brace 8 and the brake-lever 1 0.

The operation of my invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings.

As the upper end of the brake-lever is pulled in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. II of the drawings, the forward end of the horizontal lever is depressed and the cable pulls upon the rear end of the friction-shoe, so that the latter is depressed into contact with the ground to retard or arrest the movement of the vehicle or apparatus to which the brake is applied. In this position the dragchain takes up the strain on the hanger and other parts of the brake, and the hanger sustains the suspending bar and shoe against lateral strain. When the pull on the brake-lever is released, the coiled retracting-spring at once draws the friction-shoe forward, and thus raises the same out of contact with the ground and returns the parts to their normal positions, as indicated in Fig. I of the drawings.

It is evident that the brake is designed to be operated by a driver or attendant occupying the seat at the front of the vehicle or fire apparatus to which the brake is applied, and a cord, cable, or other connection leads from the brake-lever to the front of the apparatus. I may employ a lever or treadle at the front of the vehicle or fire apparatus, by which the brake can be conveniently manipulated; but this treadle or lever is not essential, because a cable or rod 21 can be used without such lever or treadle. I have found by practical experiments that a brake constructed as described and shown in this application can be operated by a comparatively moderate or light pull on the cable, and I therefore reserve the right to use either a treadle or lever which can be connected by a rod or cable with the brake-lever,.or to use simply a cable, the rear end of which cable is connected to the brake-lever, and the front end of which is confined in place in a suitable guide on the front end of the apparatus.

I do not limit myself, further, to the cable 16, connected to the brake-lever, as it is evident that this cable can be connected to a suitable part of the vehicle or apparatus-as, for instance, the step at the rear end of the fire apparatus. This construction enables me to use a longer friction-shoe than the one shown in the accompanying drawings, and the brake-lever works free or independently of the cable.

The friction-shoe can be readily removed when it is worn down by contact with the ground or other surface, and the shoe can be replaced at a small expense and in a very short time. I

In View of the modifications described in this application I do not confine myself strictly to the form and proportion of parts and details of construction and arrangement of devices herein shown and described as embodiments of my invention, and therefore hold myself at liberty to make such changes as fairly fall within the scope of my invention.

N o novelty is herein claimed on the devices which form the subject-matter of two earlier applications filed by me December 9, 1889, Serial No. 333,097, and January 23, 1890, Serial No. 337,834.

One of the important advantages arising fron the use of a brake constructed in accordance with my invention is thatthe vehicle is prevented from sliding or moving sidewise on ice or a slippery surface when the sameis forced against the ice or ground, and at the same time the forward motion of the vehicle is arrested or retarded.

The improved brake has been found espe-v cially useful in cases where the vehicle travels over ice or other slippery surfaces, and as its shoe acts directly against the ice or surface it is obvious that the vehicle can be stopped within a short distance, which isespecially useful in connection with fire apparatus, which, as is well known, travels at considerable speed running to a fire.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a brake substantially as described, the combination of a brake-lever, a suspend ing-bar connected therewith,'a friction-shoe pivoted to said suspending-bar, a drag-cl1ain, and a coiled retractingspring connected to the friction-shoe and toafixture or other part of the vehicle or apparatus to which the brake is applied, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a brake substantially as described, the combination of a brake-lever, a suspending-bar connected therewith, a friction-shoe pivoted to the suspending-bar, a drag-chain connected to the forward end of said frictionshoe, and a coiled retracting-spring arranged in advance of the brake-lever, and having'its upper end connected to a vehicle or apparatus and its lower endconnected to the frictionshoe at a point between the pivot thereof and the drag-chain, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In a brake substantially as described, the combination of a brake-lever, a suspending-bar connected therewith, a friction-shoe pivoted to said suspending-bar, a retractingspring, a drag-chain connected to one end of the friction-shoe, and a cable connected to the opposite end of said friction-shoe, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. In a brake substantially as described, the combination of a brake-lever, a suspendin g-bar, a horizontal lever intermediate of the brake-lever and the suspending-bar,a frictionshoe pivoted to the free lower end of the suspending-bar, a drag-chain connected to the forward end of the friction-shoe, a retractingspring' connected to said shoe, and a cable which is connected at one end to the rear end of the friction-shoe and at its other end to the brake-lever, substantially as described.

5. In a brake substantially as described, the combination of a brake lever having means connected to its upper end for moving the same in one direction, a rigid hanger, a horizontal lever fulcrumed on said hanger and connected to the brake-lever a suspendingbar operating in the hanger and connected to the horizontal lever, an elongated frictionshoe pivoted at an intermediate point of its length in the suspending-bar, a drag-chain connected to the forward end of the frictionshoe, a retracting-spring connected to the f riction-shoe at apoint between its pivot and the drag-chain, a rigid depending arm having a guide-sheave, and a cable connected to the rear end of the friction-shoe and to the brakelever, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD TRICKETT.

\Vitnesses:

D. M. DIoK, J. D. L ons. 

